LeDuff America co-CEO James Greco resigns

LeDuff America Inc., parent company to Bruegger’s Bagels, La Madeleine Country French Café, Timothy’s World Coffee and Brioche Doree, said Wednesday its co-chief executive, James Greco, would step down Dec. 27 to pursue other opportunities.

Claude Bergeron, co-CEO of Le Duff America, will continue in his role.

Greco was officially named co-CEO at LeDuff America, the U.S. division of the French company Group Le Duff, in October, following the company’s acquisition of Bruegger’s in March. Greco had been chief executive at Burlington, Vt.-based Bruegger’s since 2003.

David Austin will continue to lead Bruegger’s in his role as president.

“Jim led the successful turnaround of Bruegger’s and established an outstanding foundation for the brand,” Bergeron said in a statement. “He has been a real asset during the transition.”

Greco led Bruegger’s through its purchase by Sun Capital Partners in 2003, a deal which included equity for Greco, and led the chain’s turnaround, which resulted in 20 consecutive quarters of positive sales growth. During his tenure Bruegger’s also completed more than a dozen acquisitions, including the 2009 purchase of Timothy’s World Coffee’s retail brands.

Bruegger's operates or franchises about 300 locations and tallies about $203 million in annual U.S. systemwide sales.